Manager Payroll Harmonization Europe (d/f/m)

Your Key Responsibilities

• Lead and drive payroll harmonization and standardization initiatives across multiple European countries
• Analyze existing local payroll processes, systems and policies and identify optimization and alignment opportunities
• Design and implement standardized scalable payroll processes while ensuring compliance with local regulations
• Act as the expert for payroll topics, providing guidance and strategic direction to stakeholders
• Take leadership responsibility for projects and/or functional teams, including coordination, mentoring and decision-making
• Manage and align cross-functional and cross-country stakeholders (e.g. HR, Finance, IT, external providers)
• Ensure timely and successful delivery of payroll transformation projects, including planning, tracking and risk management
• Collaborate with IT and vendors on payroll system implementations, integrations and improvements
• Drive data consistency, data quality and reporting standards across countries
• Balance global harmonization goals with legal and business requirements
• Identify and implement process improvement and efficiency gains within payroll operations
• Support change management activities, including communication, training and stakeholder management
• Monitor compliance with legal, tax and social security regulations in different European countries
• Provide senior-level input to strategic decisions related to payroll and HR operations

Your Qualifications

• Degree in Business Administration, Finance, HR operations or a related field
• Extensive professional experience in payroll, HR operations, or similar, ideally in a European/multi-country environment
• Proven experience in payroll harmonization, transformation, or cross-country projects
• Strong knowledge of European payroll regulations, tax, and social security
• Experience with payroll systems (e.g. SAP, Workday, ADP or similar)
• Demonstrated leadership experience (project leadership, mentoring, or functional responsibility)
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• Analytical, structured, and solution-oriented mindset
• Experience in international and matrix organizations
• High level of ownership and ability to work in complex environments
• Fluent in English